Apparatus for cleaning boilers



May 27 1924.

J. H. GOODFELLOW APPARATUS FdR CLEANING BOILERS Fiied'Jul' sci i920 2Sheets-Sheet 1 HTTOR/VEYJ.

May 27, 1924. 1,495,387

J. H. GOODFELLOW APPARATUS FOR CLEANING BOILERS 7 Filed July 30. 1920 2Shee ts$heet 2 Y W v it A rzw-wml Patented May 27, 1&24.

was: oats.

JOHN H. GO'ODFELLOW, F BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIG-NOR TO FRANCES LOUISEELLIOTT, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING BOILERS.

Application filed July 30, 1920.

' To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN H. GooDrnLLow, acitizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erieand State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement inApparatus for Cleaning Boilers, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to boiler tube or flue cleaners of the typeadapted toclean the tubes or flues of a. boiler or steam generator bymeans of the injection of a blast of steam or other cleaning agent underpressure.

The objects of the invention are to provide a device for cleaning acomparatively small group of boiler fines or tubes at one time so thatnot sufficient soot or deposit is removed from the boiler at one time toexceed the capacity of the stack to carry off the soot or deposit; alsoto provide an apparatus provided wit-h means for simultaneouslyproducing suction in some tubes and blowing other tubes by pressure;also to provide in the front boiler chamber means for changing thedirection of movement of the soot blown out of the tubes, so as todirect the soot toward the stack; also to provide anozzle of improvedconstruction for producing suction in a boiler tube; also to provide adevice of this kind which can be easily and quickly installed in a firetube boiler and which requires comparatively few changes in the boilerencasement; also to provide means of improved construction formaintaining the cleaner in its operative position relatively to aboiler; also to provide means for removing soot or deposits from thelower portion of the front chamber of the boiler and to direct the sootor deposit upwardly into the stack; also to provide blower nozzlesadapted to be positioned in the tubes which effectively opcrate toincrease the efficiency of the boiler and more fully utilize the heat ofthe gases and other products of combustion passing through the tubes;and to improve the construction of apparatus of this kind in otherrespects hereinafter specified.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation showing thefront tube sheet of a horizontal boiler equipped with the improvedcleaning apparatus.

Serial No. 400,191.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section thereof.

Fig. 3 is a detail partly in section of a pressure supply nozzle for thecleaning medium, showing the same applied to an intake pipe.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation partly in section of the improved apparatusin conjunction with the front end of a boiler.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through one of the tube blower nozzles.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation partly in. section of the nozzle shown inFig. 5. v

Fig. 7 is a section through one of the boiler tubes and the nozzle headstaken on line 77, Fig 4.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a steam boiler or generator ofthe fire-tube type containing a plurality of tubes which are designatedas 11. The usual stack for the discharge of smoke and waste gases isdesignated as 12, the front header ortube sheet of the boiler as13,-andthe front boiler wall as 14, the front wall being provided withdoors 145 A fire tube boiler of any other kind may be used in connectionwith the tube cleaning apparatus embodying the invention.

In the embodiment illustrated, the apparatus of the present inventioncomprises a plurality of upright conduits or blower tubes 15 and 15*,which are adapted to be positioned adjacent the front header of theboiler, the conduits 15 being provided at their upper ends with caps orclosures 16 having holes or discharge orifices which are so arranged asto direct a blast of steam or other agent under pressure upwardly'towardand into the stack. The conduits 15 in the construction shown, are incommunication with and carry lateral pipe members 17 which are adaptedto extend'into the fire tubes 11 of the boiler and which are equipped attheir discharge ends with return or redirecting nozzles 18. Thesenozzles 18 are preferably formed-with a rounded orlcurved head orend-wall 1 9'and a rounded shoe or bottom portion 20lconforming to thecurvature of the inside of the tube and having topwalls 19 which enclosea central chamber 20 The nozzles are preferably further provided withupwardly and forwardly directed slits or openings 21 preferable at thesides'of the ioa intake portion whereby steam. or other cleaning agententering the nozzle is directed forwardly from the nozzle head anddiagonally of the length of the tubes. The rear end of the nozzlemembers preferably terminates in an angular blade or edge as at 22 lyingclose to the bottom of the boiler tube. and the top wall inclinesupwardly from this knife edge to the slits or open ings 21. whereby aminimum of resistance is offered to gases and other products ofcombustion normally passing through the tubes and soot or other materialbeing drawn over the top of the nozzle is directed upwardly in the zoneof the blasts discharging from openings 21. For the purpose of holdingthe nozzle close to the wall of the tube and of providing supportingmeans for maintaining the conduits and their attached parts in properposition, the nozzle 18 is preferably formed with a vertical blade orfin as at 23. it is desirable that this blade be approximately of suchheight that the upper edge will closely fit the interior of the tube, asindicated in Fig. 7, and it is also considered preferable that the bladebe so shaped that a minimum resistance will be offered to the passage ofthe combustion products through the tubes.

Vl hen steam or other fluid under pressure is admitted to the nozzles18, the same will 'be discharged through the discharge orifices 21therein diagonally across the tubes as shown in Fig. 4, therebyproducing a suction in the boiler tubes which will draw soot and otherforeign matter out of the tubes. By blowing the steam across the pipesat a slight angle to the lengths thereof, a better cleaning of the tubesis effected than by 'merely blowing the steam in the direction of thelength of the tubes. The nozzles also have a further function of formingbaffles or restrictions in the boiler tubes, which retard the flow ofthe products of combustion in the tubes when the nozzles are not usedfor cleaning the tubes, and thereby increase the efficiency of theboiler.

The conduits or tubes 15 have mounted thereon a plurality of lateraltubes corresponding in number to the boiler tubes in any line of thenest, and any desired number of these laterals may be equipped with thereturn nozzles as described. It is. however, considered preferable toequip the upper tubes of a line with return nozzles and to providelateral blower members for some of the lower boiler tubes of the linewhich consist of the jet nozzles 24;, Fig. 1. The result of thisarrangement is that the lower jet nozzles will blow soot and depositrearwardly through some of the lower boiler tubes and a suction will becreated in the upper tubes, which draws soot and deposit from the rearof the boiler to the front thereon Qonssquently the soot and depositblown rearwardly in the lower boiler tubes will be drawn forwardlythrough the upper tubes. The discharge of steam through the orifices inthe caps 16, together with the inclination given to the steam by thenozzles 18, induces an upward current of fluid and solid matter at thefront of the boiler toward the smoke stack, so that the direction of thematerial discharged from the boiler tubes will be changed in such amanner that the material removed from the tubes will be readilydischarged into the smoke stack.

For the purpose of creating a suction influence in the lower part of thechamber or space between the tube sheet 13 and the front boiler wall 14whereby any soot or other material deposited therein may be removedduring the actuation of the cleaner.

on or more of the conduits 15 is e uin ed at its lower end with anupwardly directing nozzle 25 which acts in a sleeve or shield 26 tocreate an upwardly directed blast in this space to suck or draw thematerial therein up into the blast from the upper portions of thecleaner. whereupon it will be carried out through the stack and removed.The sleeve or shield 26 also prevents material sucked upwardly by thenozzle 25 and shield from being carried into the lower boiler tubesduring the cleaning operation. The sleeve or shield 26 is preferablyprovided with a lower bell-shaped hood 2? whereby the suction within thesleeve may be exerted upon a considerable area of the boiler floor andis supported in spaced relation to the boiler casing as by legs 28whereby soot or other sediment may be freely drawn from the boiler floorup through the hood.

In order to maintain the blower members in position, one or more of thelaterals 17 may be equipped with an adjustable stop 29 which is adaptedto fit or book over the flanged end of one of the boiler tubes, as at 30thus preventing movement of the blowers inwardly relatively to thetubes. In order to provide against movement in the other direction,there may be provided a spacing member, strut or leg 31 which is pivotedas at 32 to a clamp or similar fastening device 33 adapted to bepositioned on the conduit member 15, the free end of the member 31bearing upon the wall or door of the boiler. F or purposes of furthersecuring the apparatus in position, conduit members 15 adjacent thesides of the boiler may be equipped with brackets 34 which may bebolted, as at 35, or otherwise removably secured to the side walls ofthe boiler, or to a brick setting (not shown), if such a setting is usedin place of the side walls shown. Each conduit 15 and the correspondingconduit 15 if one is used, a e

communication with a suitable til ill)

pipe 36 through the medium of a coupling member 36 which permits theconduits 15 and 15 to be adjusted laterally so that the lateralsconnected therewith may be pro-perly positioned in the boiler tubes. Theintake pipes 36 terminate in a common head 37 which head holds the endsof the intake pipes 36 together and which in the construction shown,extends through a hole formed in a boiler door 14*. The head preferablyhas a flange 38 which abuts against the inner fac of the door. In orderto permit access to the intake head the boiler wall is provided with asuitable door 39, which in the .construction shown, is detachablypivoted to the head 37. It is considered preferable that this door bepivoted at two ends so that it may swing either to the right or left inopening and with this end in view, th intake pipe head 37 is providedwith struck out aperturedflanges or ears as at 40 and the dooris formedwith a pair of 'apertured lugs 41 at each end adapted to register withrespective ears on the intake head and to be held in place by a suitableremovable pin member as 42. Consequently when itis desired to open theboiler door 14 it is only necessary to remove the hinge pins 42 and toremove the door 39, after which the door 14 may be swung open, leavingthe head 37 in a stationary position with reference to the boiler. Theconduit members communicating with a common intake head arepreferablyconnected together by means of a clamping strip 43, illustrated in Fig.2 of the drawings, this strip preferably comprising two duplicateclamping members each provided with spaced recesses adapted to registerwith the recesses of the other, whereby sockets 44 are provided for thereception of the conduit members. The strip members are held together byany suitable fastening means, such as bolts 45. The boiler tube cleaneris preferably built in two parts or sections, one section being providedfor each half of the boiler and, in the construction shown, the twosections are preferably secured together by means of a spacing strip 48,the opposite ends of which are secured to the ends of the clampingstrips 43 of each section of the tube cleaner.

Steam or other cleaning medium may be admitted to the intake tubes inany suitable manner, a nozzle 46 being shown for this purpose, see Fig.3. This nozzle fits into the outer ends of the intake tubes, which arepreferably tapered, so as to form a steam tight joint. The nozzle may beconnected to a steam line and may be inserted in any one of the steamintake tubes whereby the boiler tubes in communication therewith may beblown out.

In order to facilitate the assembling of the apparatus in, or removalfrom a boiler,

the members 15 equipped with the'lower upturned blower nozzles areprovided at their lower ends with suitable pipe unions 4'7, whereby theblower members maybe disconnected and removed without disturbing thenozzles 25 or the sleeve 26, Below each union 47 a fitting 50 isprovided which has a suitable turn post 51 adjustably secured therein.By means of these turn posts the flue cleaning apparatus may beadjustably supported with reference to the boiler wall.

It will be seen that an apparatus is provided which can be readilyfitted to any type of fire-tube boiler without any special skill andwith only one change or alteration in the boiler, that is the cutting ofa hole in the front boiler wall or the front door to permit the intaketube head to extend through the hole.

In the operation of the device, when steam or other cleaning agent underpressure is supplied to one of the intake pipes, an upwardly directedblast will be produced in the space between the front boiler header andthe front boiler wall 14 by the orifices in the caps 16. At the sametime the lowermost laterals will inject blasts of the cleaning agentinto the lower tubes, while the return nozzles on the laterals in theupper tubes act to draw the deposite through the 'upper tubes and blowit into the blast through the stack. One of the intake pipes ofeach halfof the cleaner is connected with an upwardly directed nozzle 25 and whensteam is admitted to such an intake pipe, soot and deposit in the bottomofthe space between the header and front boiler wall will be drawnupwardly and discharged into the stack.

While the apparatus described is primarily intended to be used forcleaning a comparatively small number of tubes at atime, yet it will beunderstood that it is not intended to limit the invention to such use,since a number of features of this invention can be used equally well inconnection with apparatus intended for blowing out all of the boilertubes at a time.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with a boiler including firetubes and a boiler door, of cleaning apparatus comprising a plurality ofsets of nozzles, each set of nozzles being adapted to act on a group oftubes, an intake pipe for each set of nozzles, the outer ends of saidintake pipes terminating adjacent to each other, and a head forpositioning said outer ends of said intake pipes and which extendsthrough a hole in said door.

2. The combination with a boiler including fire tubes and a boiler door,of cleaning apparatus comprising a plurality of sets of nozzles, eachset of nozzles being adapted to act on a group of tubes, an intake pipefor each set of nozzles, the outer ends of said intake pipes terminatingadjacent to each other, a head for positioning said outer ends of saidintake pipes and which extends through a hole in saiddoor, and a flangeon said head which abuts against said door.

3. The combination with a boiler including fire tubes and a boiler door,of cleaning apparatus comprising a plurality of sets of nozzles, eachset of nozzles being adapted to act on a group of tubes, an intake pipefor each set of nozzles, the outer ends of said intake pipes terminatingadjacent to each other, a head for positioning said outer ends of saidintake pipes and which extends through a hole in said door, and a seconddoor detachably secured to said head for closing the ends of said intakepipes.

4. The combination with a tire tube boiler having a boiler door, of acleaning apparatus comprising a plurality of sets of blowers, each setof blowers being adapted to direct a cleaning agent into a group oftubes, an intake pipe for each set of blowers, the outer ends of saidintake pipes terminating in adjacency and extending through said boilerdoor, said outer ends of said intake pipes being formed to receivedischarge nozzle, whereby a soot removing agent may be introduced intothe respective intake pipes.

5. In a boiler tube cleaner, in combina tion with a steam boiler, aconduit member adapted to be positioned adjacent a boiler header, ablast nozzle on the upper end of said conduit and adapted to dischargetoward the stack, a blower nozzle connected to the lower part of theconduit, whereby an upwardly directed auxiliary blast may be created,lateral pipe members extending from said conduit into the boiler tubes,and suction and blower nozzles on said lateral pipe members, whereby thetubes may be placed under blower and suction influences.

6. In combination with a tire tube boiler, a pipe adapted to be insertedinto one of the tubes of said boiler for discharging fluid underpressure to said tube, a nozzle on the end of said pipe which extendsinto the boiler tube, said nozzle having discharge slits directedupwardly and toward the pipe to which it is connected for discharging a.film of fluid at an inclination across said tube and an upper wall whichinclines upwardly from the inner end of said nozzle to said dischargeopenings.

7. In a boiler tube cleaner, a nozzle adapted to be positioned in aboiler tube adjacent to one end thereof and having an orifice adapted todischarge cleaning fluid toward said end. of said boiler tube andthereby induce in said tube a fiow of fluid toward said end, said nozzlehaving a bottom conforming to the floor of the tube in which it isplaced, and an upper portion tapering forwardly and downwardly to asubstantial knife edge.

In a boiler tube cleaner, a nozzle adapted to be positioned in boilertube adjacent to one end thereof and having an orilice adapted todischarge cleaning fluid to ward said end of said boiler tube and thereby induce in said tube a flow of fluid toward said end, said nozzlehaving a bottom conforming to the floor of the tube in which it isplaced. an upper portion tapering forwardly and downwardly to asubstantial knife edge. and an upwardly extending tin engaging the upperwall of the boiler tube and confining said nozzle to the lower part ofthe tube.

Witness my hand this 26th day of July,

JOHN H. GOODFELLOW. Witness: MILDRED J. PITMAN.

